


The Moss Lyman Interview

by Hackney123



Series: Washington Live [3]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 08:34:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21268127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hackney123/pseuds/Hackney123
Summary: Christian Salviant after being mauled and humiliated the week before is now looking for payback and is interviewing Senator Leo Moss Lyman and his mother Former Senator and Presidential Hopeful Donna Moss Lyman. His job is on the line, so he has to put on a good performance.  No problem there then.





	The Moss Lyman Interview

**Author's Note:**

> This is the third story in the Washington Live series. You do not have to have read the other two first, but it would be easier to follow if you did. A reminder that Christian Salviant and the programme Washington Live are both a figment of my imagination any resemblance to any real person or show is totally accidental.

The night before the Washington Live interview Leo Lyman is having dinner with his parents. ‘So, mother do you want to lose ten dollars?’  
‘Not particularly why what is the bet?’  
‘I bet you that tomorrow the first thing that Christian Salviant will ask you about is gun rights.’  
‘You are on he will ask about it but not straight off. To give me a chance to win it back I bet you ten dollars that the first thing he will ask you about is your self-confessed adultery.’  
‘Deal.’

The fact that Leo has a mistress is a sore point with his parents. It would have been more of a sore point if Leo’s wife did not know about the affair. In fact, his wife and his mistress both worked on his election campaign.

At the studio the following day Christian was reading the Washington Times and it was less than complimentary about his performance the previous week. The piece went on to opine that if he did not put on a better performance tonight then he might find himself looking for other work.

As the introductory theme tune finished and the camera went on Christian looked into the camera and said. ‘Welcome to tonight’s show. Tonight, we have a treat we have the first campaign interview with Presidential hopeful former Senator Donna Moss Lyman. With her we have the successor to her Senate seat her son Senator Leo Moss Lyman. Please give them a big hand. With that Donna and Leo walked purposely on to the stage. Once they were all seated Christian started.  
‘This is going to be awkward, Mrs Moss Lyman can I start with you. When you launched your campaign last week you set your stall out quite clearly. In particular your desire to strip gun owners of their rights. Do you think you should be basing policy on your own personal animosity to gun owners?’  
Before answering him, Donna took out her purse and gave her son $10. ‘There you are keep it safe.’  
Christian who was a little puzzled asked.  
‘Why did you just give him $10?’  
‘We had a bet that the first thing you would ask about would be gun rights I lost so I was paying him. Going back to your question. It would have been more helpful to your viewers if you had correctly characterised my proposals on possession of guns. I would preface my comments by saying as I did at my campaign launch. The first duty of a government is to protect its citizens. We need to find a way to keep people safe while allowing people to carry guns for personal protection should they wish. My proposals are a nuanced tiered approach to gun ownership. Subject to passing background checks everyone who wants to will be able to purchase a personal protection weapon. That does not mean any weapon only certain types of weapons will come into this category. Initially permits for these weapons will be for six months in that time you would need to pass a course on safe handling, storage, use and transportation of the weapon. Those who can demonstrate it is for hunting or sporting will be able to purchase a hunting or sporting rifle. Save in the most exceptional of circumstances were a person can provide compelling evidence of need that cannot be met by a personal protection weapon will somebody be able to buy a semi or fully automatic weapon. These are the ones most often used in mass shootings so need the tightest controls. The only weapons for which there will be a complete ban on civilian purchase will be military grade weapons. That does not sound like an assault on gun ownership.’  
‘But what evidence have you got that gun control proposals like yours will actually work?’  
‘You mean apart from the United Kingdom where after a school shooting and an inquiry they banned certain types of weapons and have not had a school shooting since unlike here where it is an all too common occurrence. Also, can you name me three countries with gun control that have a higher per capita death from gun violence rate than the US.’

Christian was starting to get that de ja vu feeling he had not been expecting this kind of response. He could not think of an answer to the question. So, he went back to his original point as it was all he had.

‘I take your point but there is still the argument that you are using your personal animosity against guns to make policy.’  
‘I am making policy based on evidence and striking a balance between people’s Article 2 rights and the right of people to enjoy life. We should be able to accommodate both.’

‘Senator Lyman if I can turn to you for a moment. You are a self-confessed adulterer do you not believe that there is a trust issue that you will need to get over?’

Before answering the question Leo openly returned the $10 that Donna had given him after he won his bet. Christian was not pleased that he was being shown up for being predictable.

‘In answer to your question no I do not believe there is a trust issue after making full disclosure of all the details of my past and current affairs I was elected with 55% of the votes. I grant you that is a 10% drop on my mother’s average share of the vote so some people may have had a problem with my adultery but by and large they seem to have accepted it. In any case at least that is better than being a sanctimonious hypocrite who pretends that he does not have affairs while having an affair. Would you not agree?’

Christian who had a fair idea that Leo was referring to him decided not to rise to the bait. But moved back to Donna.

‘Mrs Moss Lyman, your campaign team has Ronna Beckman as your campaign manager and Karen Kay as the senior assistant a role that Ms Beckman used to play. Neither of these ladies are married would you not agree that there is the need for seasoned male leadership at the top of your campaign?’  
‘No, I do not Ms Beckman who as you know is a lesbian has been a close colleague for three decades. Ms Kay was my assistant when I was Chief of Staff to the First Lady and has worked on my campaigns in the past. I have every confidence in their ability. They both also have the confidence of my husband who will be available to them for advice should the need arise.’

In a desperate need to get the upper hand Christian turned to Leo and said.

‘Senator Moss Lyman you were chosen to run for your senate seat by your mother when she decided not to run for a fourth term. How would you answer the charge that this is just nepotism and the creation of a dynasty.’  
‘Firstly, I would get them a dictionary so they could look up the word nepotism. Also, I would observe that I do not have any children so I would not be able to pass the seat onto my son. Although I would add that my ten year old niece has told me that she will run against me in eighteen years unless I step aside.’

‘Thank you both that is all we have time for next week we have the former Doyen of the White House Press Room Claudia Jean Cregg.’

The following day the press was asking if Christian Salviant would be able to survive if his guests keep on giving me a mauling. Although it did make the show more interesting. Some others were asking if he was the sanctimonious hypocrite that Senator Leo Moss Lyman obliquely referred to.

**Author's Note:**

> After I have done the interview with CJ if Christian keeps his job or is replaced who should be interviewed next? I am toying with an idea to do Charlie Young but might use him for another story. Let me know who you think should be next.


End file.
